Finding Fortitude
by Janie-ohio
Summary: No one ever thinks that temporarily parting from a loved one may be the last time they talk to them. It hadn't occurred to Ginny Weasley Potter, either, but as Harry's life hangs in the balance, Ginny learns to find her strength with the help of a beloved friend. Ginny/Harry, NO Character Death. Written for the IWSC Round 3.


A/N: Hi all, I've joined the International Wizarding School Championship writing competition, and this story is my third entry. To readers of my Harry/Draco series, those stories will continue to be listed in my profile to prevent confusion.

Story Title/Link: Finding Fortitude

School and Theme: Beauxbatons, Magical Bugs

Main Prompt: [Emotion] Fear

Additional Prompts: [Platonic Pairing] Ginny Weasley/Luna Lovegood, [Illness] Dragon pox

Year: 6

Wordcount: 3153

* * *

**Finding Fortitude**

Ginny Weasley Potter tilted her face into the spray of hot water coming from the shower rose and let it wash away the tears. She'd been moving in what felt like a trance for nearly forty-eight hours, hardly thinking about anything beyond her one task, keeping Harry alive. When she thought of anything else, fear set in. _What if? _The water ran down her face, and she just stood, wishing it would clear away the fatigue, and the fear, and the worry.

She reached for the shampoo, and her hand landed on his bottle instead of hers. She paused, indecisive, then went ahead and poured some into her palm. The scent of sandalwood nearly brought her to her knees, but she applied it to her hair, working it through the long red tresses. It'd probably not be manageable now that she'd used his. It wasn't meant for long hair, but it hardly mattered; it'd be pulled back into a tail the entire day anyway.

"Ginny? Are you all right in there?" Luna's voice, usually light and whimsical, had an edge to it today as it echoed off the tiles. Ginny knew her best friend was worried about her, but she couldn't bring herself to answer. She was numb and exhausted, and so damned scared. The shower door opened, and Luna's face appeared through the mist. "Oh, honey. Come on, finish rinsing off and let's get you dressed. You're supposed to be resting so you can go back to the hospital in a few hours. You won't do him any good if you get sick yourself."

Ginny nodded, then turned off the water. "I know," she croaked out. "I just need some fresh clothes and tea, and then I'll be ready." She wrapped her body in a towel and made herself put one foot in front of the other, making it as far as her bed before she couldn't go any further.

Luna helped her pull a jumper over her head and slide some knickers and trousers on, then handed her a cup of tea before sitting down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "He's going to be okay, I just know it. He's Harry Freaking Potter. He's not going to let a case of dragon pox bring him down."

Ginny tried to smile but couldn't manage it. "I just don't understand how he could let this happen. Luna, he was sick for _three days_ before they found him. Ron said he went home early from work with a headache on Thursday, but they didn't find him until he didn't show up for dinner at the Burrow on Sunday! I would have known, could have helped him, but I wasn't here! I wasn't here." The tears began to fall again as she choked on a sob. "If I had been here, it wouldn't be this bad. I would have known immediately what was wrong and taken him to a Healer. The cure only works within the first seventy-two hours of the illness. Why didn't he say anything?"

"It's Harry, honey. You know him better than anyone. He probably thought he could handle it, that he was just a little sick, and there was no need to bring you home from your assignment. The kids are at school, so it was reasonable to think he could just sleep it off, especially if he didn't know what it was. Has he ever seen anyone with dragon pox before?"

"I don't think so. He didn't grow up with it as we did, and the kids received the new vaccine, so they never got it. It never occurred to me he wouldn't have had it as a kid, though it should have. It's not a big deal when kids get it, but adults—"

"Ginny, listen to me. Most adults who die from this are old or sickly. Harry is neither. He's only thirty-nine, and he's an active Auror who exercises daily with his trainees, for Merlin's sake. There's no reason to believe he won't pull through."

"Luna, he's been unresponsive since they found him. I think there's reason to believe it. We don't know how bad he'd been before Ron found him. We don't know how long it'd been since he last ate or drank, how long he'd been unconscious, how high his fever had risen; we don't know anything! They said it was all up to whether or not he woke up at this point, so how can you say there's no reason to believe he won't pull through? We don't know anything because _I wasn't here!_" She felt the panic in her chest trying to overtake her, the fear and guilt nearly overwhelming.

"Ginny, stop it! You're exhausted. When's the last time _you_ slept?"

She took a deep breath and tried to think. "It's Tuesday? Probably Saturday night. I went to the hospital directly from the Bulgarian Quidditch stadium when I got Mum's message on Sunday. I've nodded off several times at the hospital, but that's it." She really was _so_ tired, but she knew there'd be no way she'd sleep. She needed to get back to the hospital, to be with him in case he woke.

"Drink your tea. How are the kids?"

"Upset and scared. Hermione says she went to Hogwarts to see them and told them what's going on. Even with the vaccine, they shouldn't be around it if they haven't had it, so the best place for them right now is school. If he takes a turn for the worse, we'll bring them, but right now, there's nothing they can do. No more than I can." She lay down and curled into a ball on the bed, hugging Harry's pillow, the smell of him comforting her. "What am I going to do without him? How am I going to raise three children on my own?"

Luna stood up. "That's it. Get up, Ginevra Molly Weasley Potter. You will not behave like this. You're wallowing, and I will not allow it. You are the strongest woman I know, and I will _not_ let you succumb to this." She pulled the pillow out of Ginny's hands, then pulled her up. "I thought you needed to sleep, but that's obviously not going to happen. Look, Harry is _not_ dead, he is not dying, he's only very ill. You are not going to do _anything_ without him, because he's going to be right here beside you. What would he say if he could see you right now?"

Ginny tried to wipe away her tears as she stared at her irate friend, feeling a tickle of something like amusement trying to push through the grief and fear. "He'd probably apologise for making me worry so much, then tell me he was fine."

"Right. So, if you're not going to sleep, you're going to go for a walk with me, get some fresh air and something to eat at the pub, and then we'll go back. Ron promised to send his Patronus if there was any change, so let's get out of here for a bit so you can feel more human again, yes?"

She took a deep breath. "All right. Let's go."

* * *

"Have you all finished the plans for Molly and Arthur's anniversary present? Fifty years is a wonderful milestone to celebrate." Luna took one of the chips off her plate and popped it into her mouth.

Ginny was beginning to feel somewhat relaxed for the first time in three days. She still didn't have much appetite, but the soup, warm bread, and easy conversation seemed to be just the thing for her spirits. Luna had been right; she usually was. "Pretty much. We've all purchased them a trip on a Muggle cruise ship this summer. They'll have a luxury cabin and tour the Mediterranean. Then we've rented a huge villa in Greece for when they are done and the entire family, including all the grandchildren and now even the great-grandchildren, will meet them and spend a weekend together. We haven't all fitted into the Burrow for an overnight in years, so it'll be really special, I think."

"That sounds absolutely lovely, Ginny. I'm sometimes very jealous of your very large family. Since Daddy died, it's just me and Rolf and the boys— and his parents and grandparents, of course."

"It's a bit much at times, but when I begin to feel it, I look at Harry's joy at being part of the chaos. I can see through his eyes what it'd be like not to have a large family, so I do feel thankful."

"He's a very lucky man, and he knows it. He loves you very much. I can see it every time he looks at you, even after all these years. His eyes light up when you enter the room, and he relaxes. You make him happy."

Tears began to pool in Ginny's eyes again. "I feel like we get so caught up in the mundane day-to-day tasks of life, even more so when the kids are home, that sometimes we feel more like housemates that share a family." She paused and took a sip of her soup and continued quietly. "And then he'll say or do something that brings it all back to me, the thrill and the joy of being with him. I'll remember that he's not just my housemate, but my partner in this journey. Does that make sense?"

"Completely. I think anyone who has been married long enough would recognise that feeling."

"Luna, I didn't tell him I loved him before I left on my trip. I gave him a list of things to get done while I was gone, made sure he knew where I'd be staying, and then I left. He was in the loo, and I just yelled out a goodbye and left the house. It's eating me up inside, knowing that I didn't tell him and that I wasn't there."

They sat in silence for several moments, then Luna nodded. "Well, then, let's go back to the hospital so you can tell him. You look finished there, right? Are you sure you don't want to go home and sleep first?"

"No, no nap. I'll let you conjure a cot for me in his room though, and I'll doss down there. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Luna?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"I love you. You're my best friend, you know that, right? I couldn't do this without you by my side."

Luna smiled. "You could, but you don't have to. I love you, darling. Now let's go and see your man."

* * *

Ginny woke to an odd shuffling noise, unable to identify her surroundings. She wasn't in her bed, nor was she in a hotel room. Lifting her head slightly, she heard a grunt, then a rough whisper. "Gin?"

In a split second, she was wide awake and jumped up from the conjured cot in Harry's room in St Mungo's. "Harry!"

"Gin? Thirsty."

"Of course. Let me tell the Healers you're awake, then I'll get you some water. Oh, Harry. I—Never mind. Water."

She ran out into the hall and grabbed the nearest Healer to tell them Harry had regained consciousness, then returned with a cup of cold water. She held it up to Harry with a straw, keeping it steady as he sipped. His green eyes were dull, but he was following her as she moved, and she could tell he was trying to smile. "How long?"

She sat down and took his hand. "We don't know. You went home from work sick last Thursday, and Ron found you on Sunday afternoon. You've been unconscious since, and it's Wednesday morning."

"Since Saturday, I think. The kids?"

"The kids are okay, still at Hogwarts. They're worried, and Hermione said Lily was in tears, but the boys took care of her. I'll send word in a few minutes that you're awake."

He took another drink and tried to sit up.

"Hold still. Let me help you. You're probably very weak." She adjusted his bed and propped a pillow behind him. "Tell me what happened, Harry? I was so worried. We thought you might die for a while there, and I—" She stared at him and her tears began to fall again. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried as much as she had this week. Maybe when she was eleven, during that summer after the Chamber?

"Gin, honey, I'm sorry. I'm fine, really."

She snorted, and he looked confused. "That's what I told Luna you'd say, almost verbatim. I'm so glad you're awake, Harry. That's what we've been waiting for. They weren't sure how high the fever had risen and whether you'd wake up. The dragon pox itself is mostly clear, they think, and you hardly got any spots from it, which is patently unfair, in my opinion. I was covered with them when I got it, but evidently, that's common in adults.

"Wait, what? Dragon pox? Is that what was wrong with me? I thought I had the flu."

They were interrupted by the Healers who swarmed into the room, and she took a few minutes to step out and use the loo. She sent a Patronus to Ron, who would spread the word about Harry's change in status, and she said a little prayer of thanks to whoever might be listening that Harry was going to be okay. _He woke up. _

Entering the room again as soon as she was allowed to, she took a good look at her husband. He was sleeping, but now there was a soft snore, and she could see his eyelids flutter as he dreamed; it was no longer the still silence of his unconsciousness. She took his hand, and he stirred.

"Oh, good. You're back. I missed you." His voice sounded better already.

She smiled. "You idiot, I missed you, too; I love you. Now tell me what happened? I don't understand how you could have got so bad and not asked for help?"

He frowned, evidently trying to remember, then got a sheepish look on his face. "Well, as I said, I thought it was the flu. I didn't want to bother anyone or get anyone else sick, and I really prefer to be alone when I'm ill, you know that."

She nodded.

He paused to cough, and she got him some more water. "Thanks. Anyway, I went home from work on Thursday with a terrible headache and had something to eat, then went to bed. I didn't wake up until midday on Friday, and I could tell I had a fever. I know the protocol of liquids and aspirin to reduce fever, so I took some, got a drink, and went back to sleep. I was feeling miserably tired and as though I had a rash, though I couldn't see any sign of one. Looking back, I think there was a green tinge, but I assumed at the time I was imagining it. I figured it was some virus or other."

"Oh, Harry." She sighed at his tendency to brush everything off.

He shrugged. "When I woke on Saturday, I started sneezing, and there were sparks. At that point, I realised something else was going on, but I was freezing and couldn't bring myself to get out of bed and call anyone. My magic always goes wonky when I'm ill, as you know, so casting a Patronus wasn't going to happen. I should have forced myself down to the fireplace and called Molly, but I went back to sleep before I could do that. That's the last thing I remember before waking up here a little while ago." He took her hand again. "What happened while I was out?"

"They called me on Sunday when Ron found you unconscious. You didn't show up at the Burrow for dinner, and everyone realised no one had heard from you all weekend. I came straight here, and—" She cut off as her throat clenched. He squeezed her hand, and she looked straight at him. "Harry, they weren't sure you were going to make it. People die from dragon pox, and you weren't regaining consciousness. Without knowing all that you had gone through, they couldn't tell me anything. They gave you a fifty-fifty chance of pulling through."

"Oh, God, Gin. I'm so sorry. Can I hug you? I'm not contagious anymore, am I?"

"No, and I had it as a kid anyway, so I can't get it again. And yes, you can hug me." She reached down to embrace him, and he pulled her down onto the bed next to him. She wrapped her arms around his chest and buried her face. "I was so scared. All I could think of was that you wouldn't be here with me to see our children grow up, and to see our grandchildren. Harry, I don't want to do this without you. You have to take better care of yourself. If you're sick, it's okay to ask for help. That would have made all the difference this time. There's actually a cure if they can get it into you early in the illness. My mum would have recognised this immediately."

"I'm sorry, Gin. Seriously, I didn't know."

"I know, and I'm not mad, I'm just scared. I went through this fear for years when you were in the field regularly, and I thought it was past now that you're no longer on active duty. I thought, he's an Auror trainer, he's safe now." She gave a harsh, bitter laugh. "I hadn't counted on your stubborn refusal to admit you're sick being the cause of your next brush with death."

He hugged her close, and she closed her eyes, revelling in the feel of his arms around her. He was okay. He was stubborn, and he was often difficult, but he was hers, and he was okay. She felt him bury his face in her hair, then he pulled back and sounded surprised. "Did you use my shampoo?"

"Mmmhmm." She looked up into his face. "I wanted to smell you." She took a sniff of him and cringed. "But that was then. Merlin, you stink. You'd think you hadn't bathed in a week!"

He laughed, then started coughing again, reminding her that he still had some recovery ahead of him. "The Healer said I could shower this afternoon. Why don't you have someone bring in my wash things and some clean clothes? I'm sure I'll smell better then." His eyes began to droop, and she could tell he was ready to sleep some more.

"I'll have Ron bring them when he comes. Harry, before you go back to sleep, promise me something?"

"Anything, dear."

"Promise me we'll go on a big holiday for our own fiftieth wedding anniversary?"

He chuckled. "I promise. Love you, Gin." He quietly began to snore.

"I love you, Harry," she whispered. He was okay.


End file.
